The Strength Within
by Chynee
Summary: Sakura has been living on her own for eight years without a memory of a part of her life. But one night she is saved from a group of drunk men by a person with glowing red eyes. When she wakes up she meets people she's never met before. What's frustrating is that they all seem to be hiding something from her. Will she ever find out who she was or will she "die" trying?
1. On My Own

**A/N:** Hey there everyone! I know I'm starting on another story but I can't help it. Hopefully I can finish this one. And hopefully you'll like the story. :D

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**Chapter One: On My Own**

I tap my foot in frustration.

_Could you be any more annoying?_

I'm standing in line for ice cream and I just so happen to be behind this slim, blonde, _loud_ girl that can't decide what flavor of ice cream she wants. It really isn't supposed to be that hard of a decision when there are only two flavors of ice cream: chocolate and vanilla. The vendor even said that she could pick both flavors if she likes.

"But I only want one flavor," she whined.

It's been 5 minutes.

The noon sun is beating down on us despite being in Konoha's somewhat shady family park. It's a beautiful day to be outside. The sun is shining, the birds are warbling, children running around with their own ice cream cones and their parents watching them nearby. The occasional lovey-dovey couple strolled by and their secretive smiles made me look away.

I heave an exasperated sigh, loud enough for the blonde chick in a ponytail to hear me.

"Look, lady, it's been more than five minutes and you still haven't decided on what flavor of ice cream you want. Can you hurry up? You're not the only one getting ice cream," I say impatiently.

She turns around and her sky blue eyes stare at mine for a second before glaring at me.

"Gosh, can you be any ruder?"

Her condescending voice does nothing to me, since I'm kind of used to people looking down on me. I don't feel any offense when she so clearly thinks that I'm offended.

I look up and pretend to think before I look back at her. "Actually, yes, I can. So if you don't want me to be 'any ruder' I suggest that you pick your flavor and go."

She huffs in indignantly and turns back to the vendor.

I smirk in triumph when she _finally_ makes her choice and pays the vendor. She casts me a dirty look before walking away.

The vendor, a man I see around town often, looks at me with an amused smile.

"You seem really feisty today, Sakura-chan."

"Yeah, well, I can't stand being near people who can't decide what they want for themselves," I say simply with a shrug.

He chuckles and slightly shakes his head, his snowy white tresses swaying with the movement.

I offer a small smile at the man. I've known him ever since I was a kid. Whenever we saw each other he would always have something special for me, whether it is a flower or a hot bun or a bowl of ramen. Whenever I got into trouble he would also conveniently show up nearby and I could always count on him to hide me behind his tall, sturdy frame.

If he hadn't protected me all those times, I would've sworn I had a serious pedophilic stalker following me around. Not that pedophilic stalkers don't protect what they were stalking, but this guy was just different. He never hinted at anything weird and he never treated me or said anything that would set off alarms in my head. Besides, what kind of pedophile/stalker would laugh in a boisterous manner that would call attention to himself?

"The regular?" He asks, referring to the ice cream flavor.

I nod and wait for him to serve me a scoop of vanilla ice cream. When he does hand it to me I fish around in my pockets to find change.

"Oh c'mon, Sakura-chan. You know this one is on me," he says kindly.

The smile on my face widens and I eagerly take the cone from him. Before I enjoy my treat I ask him my usual question.

"So when are you going to tell me your name?"

The old man's eyes crinkle in amusement. He throws his head back and laughs heartily before calming down.

"When the time comes, Sakura-chan, you will know who I am."

"Aww, c'mon! I've known you for so long and I still don't know your name?"

"You will know in time, I promise. Perhaps you will know it real soon," he says cryptically.

I sigh and sag my shoulders. Seriously, this old man can be quite adamant when he wants something.

_Hmm...suspicious._

"Fine. I'll see you around then, old man," I giggle and happily stroll away.

He shoots me a look that says that he isn't old but then he looks away to focus on another customer.

* * *

Night has fallen over the city of Konoha. While it isn't my favorite time of the day, it is the time that I am the most cautious. I have to be in order to survive the streets. I clasp my backpack tighter to my chest as I look both ways before crossing the street. I'm in the busiest part of Konoha because I was searching for a job, even as help for some of the farmers at the farmer's market. Now that it's night time and most of the shops are closed it's time for me to leave and get some sleep too.

As I walk in the shadows of the trees in Konoha Park in search of my regular sleeping spot, I could see a few people walking on the paved road. They look and sound like a bunch of drunk guys heading home. On one of the benches I see a lonely man in a business suit with his head down, arms crossed of his chest, and his leg crossed at the knee. I can't exactly see the color of his hair since he's too far from one of the lamp lights but I if I had to make a guess, he had either brown or black hair since it blends with the shadows.

I continue to go my way in the darkness, silently passing behind the lone man, heading in the direction of the group of drunks. Just as I was about to pass them, I trip on a jutting tree root and land on my face with a loud thump. I immediately notice that the men had gone silent and silently cursed to myself.

"Hey, did you guys hear that?" one man slurred.

"Let's go check it out," another one answered.

_Just what I don't need._

I quickly get up and grab my backpack, which had fallen off my shouler when I tripped. But just as soon as I reach my bag, a hand clamps down on my shoulder and the pungent smell of liquor invades my nostrils.

"Well, what do we have here?"

I keep quiet and try to pry the hand off my shoulder.

Another person appears in front of me and I think there are about three other men standing behind me. So far there are at least five men. Five _drunk_ men.

The man in front of me stepped closer and I can also smell the liquor in his breath. I flinch when he shoves his face into my line of vision.

"You have pretty hair," he laughs. "Can I call you Pinky?"

"Leave me alone," I bit out.

He laughs in my face and I scowl.

"Aw c'mon Pinky! It's gonna be fun. Just you, me, and these four losers."

A small grunt of protest sounds behind me at the mention of 'losers'.

_I really don't have time for this._

"Get your stinky breath out of my face," I growl and clench my right hand into a fist.

The man smiles a predatory smile.

"Or what, Pinky?"

"Or I'll bust your face in, you drunk piece of sh-"

I feel the air leave my lungs and then I feel pain in my gut. I double over and cradle my abdomen, trying to recover from the sneaky punch the man had delivered.

"I don't like threats, Pinky. But I do like to have fun. How about it? Let's have some fun."

And before I could even stand up and punch this guy into the next millenium, I am knocked to the ground by a swift kick to my feet. My mind swims for a second at the sudden change in position. I try to push myself up but one of these jerks has a foot on my chest that kept me down. I look up and against the soft moonlight I see five silhouettes glaring down at me.

Next thing I know, the guy that was talking to me is straddling me and lifting my shirt up. The foot on my chest had disappeared but the weight of the man still kept me in position. I begin to flail my legs and my arms, trying to land a fisted blow to this guy's face but he somehow avoids me.

When his hand touches the skin of my abdomen I start to freak out and let out a scream for help. My cry is cut off short when a hand slaps down on my mouth in an effort to shut me up. Enraged, I bite the hand over my mouth and one of the guys yelp and the hand withdrew. But shortly after that I receive a blow to my head. The pain shoots through the rest of my head and I can feel my conscience dwindling.

The man straddling me slides his hands up toward my bra but this only triples my effort in trying to get away. I kick and scream and spit on his face, distracting him from his goal of removing my shirt. He eventually tires of my struggle and punches me in the face.

"That's it, Pinky. I'm not playing nice anymore."

He instructs the other men to each hold down one of my extremities and I feel their grubby hands grab my ankles and my wrists.

I cry louder this time, tears streaming down my face, and scream with every breath I have.

"Shut up!"

The guy then starts to violently land blows to my head and my stomach. He's screaming about something but I don't understand what he's saying. I'm starting to tune him out as my consciousness and my vision started to go out.

But before I slip into my unwanted slumber, I see a sixth shadow appear and knock the other guy to his side and off my body. My hands and feet are a freed and in a few seconds there was a gentle hand softly lifting my head off the ground.

I look at his face but the only thing I see are two bright red eyes looking into my face. They had these black comma things around them. They're so mesmerizing. I'm quickly losing consciousness so I didn't hear him yelling at me.

I inevitably black out.

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**A/N:** Short, but I'm just getting started. The story won't really pick up until around chapter 3 or 4. I'm already working on chapter 2. Please review and let me know what you think! Your thoughts, ideas, and reactions are an inspiration to me. :)

Chynee


	2. A New Perspective

**Chapter Two: A New Perspective**

My muscles ached but strangely enough they felt relaxed, similar to the feeling of crashing on your bed after a long day of being on your feet. That's strange. I don't recall the grass in the park ever having such a calming effect on me. I'll have to find this spot again for the next few nights.

"You found her in the park?" a womanly voice asked.

"Well technically it wasn't _me_ that found her."

That voice was sounded very familiar to me. And that's when I realized that I wasn't in the park. It was way too quiet here. No rustle of leaves, no sounds of the distant city, no children laughing. There was, however, the sound of a hospital machine beeping a constant slow rhythm nearby.

I opened my eyes. For some reason all I saw was darkness but in my slight panic I could still hear the two voices as they conversed.

"You know what I mean…"

"Yeah. Good thing we got to her on time."

There was silence for a moment and I had time to ponder on their words. I was positive of the identity of one of the voices, but who was the other one? And what did they mean by 'we'?

"I found something interesting while I was examining her," the woman said seriously. And without waiting for her companion to respond she continued, "She has a seal. Two to be exact."

"I know."

There was a short huff. "Obviously since one of them has your chakra signature!"

What? What are they talking about? What is chakra? What did she mean by seal? And why did I have two?

"And the other one belongs to…well, you probably know that too."

"…"

"It's not your fault. He just plays dirty."`

I heard the scrape of a chair across the floor and I guessed that the other one stood up.

"You know it's my fault. They trusted me and I let them down and now look…"

I was getting tired of being in the dark, literally. I had to look at the two people who were having a private conversation over my presumably-there hospital bed. I moved my arm, expecting to find resistance, but I was surprised to feel it move effortlessly. Feeling brave, I moved my other arm and my legs and found that they could move easily. I slowly sat up and heard a gasp from the woman but before either of the two could say anything, I frowned.

"Why can't I see?" I asked.

"Oh, sorry," the woman said and I heard a shuffling and something at the back of my head shifting.

The next thing I knew light flooded my vision and I grimaced. When my eyes adjusted to the lighting I looked up and first saw the old man. He had a grim look on his face as he observed me. Next to him stood a blonde with light brown eyes and a tiny purple diamond in the middle of her forehead. She looked quite young to me.

"Don't be fooled by her baby face. It's all a lie," the old man said first and grinned sheepishly when the lady shot him a death glare.

She turned her attention back to me, waving a black piece of cloth around. "Sorry about blindfolding you, girl. I got complaints from a bunch of patients about the bright lights in the hospital."

I nodded, my throat dry.

"Who are you?" I croaked. My face flushed at my horrid voice. Was I out so long that my voice had rusted over from lack of use?

"This, my dear, is Tsunade. She owns this hospital. She is also the sexiest woman in the world and the mother of my children!" the old man explained. I really need to find out his name. I'm tired of referring to him as an old man, even though he really is one.

Said woman was handing me a tall glass of water, which I accepted gratefully before taking a sip. The cool fluid slid down my parched throat and I immediately felt better. I watched her from the rim of my glass as she walked back to her place next to Mister X and none too gently landed a fist on his face. Yes, he will be called Mister X until I know his real name, which will hopefully be today.

"Stop feeding her lies, you old geezer! There's no way on earth I'd marry you or bear your children!" Tsunade snapped and crossed her arms.

"It's not like I'm lying every day. At least I _look_ my age!" He cried and caressed his abused cheek, backing away slightly when she scowled at him.

These two sure acted like an old couple. I coughed politely, gaining both of their attention again. I leveled a suspicious look at Mister X before turning back to Tsunade. She seemed to be the mature one of the two right now and maybe she'd answer my questions.

"So," I started. "How do you know Mister X?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at me. "If by Mister X you mean this perverted old man next to me, then I've known him since we were kids. His name is – "

"Tsunade no!" he wailed, jumping at Tsunade in an attempt to stop her. But she side stepped and let him fall to his face.

" – Jiraiya," she finished.

I grinned at her and she smirked back at me. I like this lady, old or not. After a few questions on my condition and what had happened to me the night I was attacked, I lay back down on my pillow. I had been knocked out for the whole. It was just a little after lunch and Tsunade had decided to pay me a visit when she found Jiraiya sitting next to my bed. When I asked who had found me Jiraiya had immediately given me an account of what had happened, telling me that the identity of my rescuer was unknown.

The attack last night had supposedly left me with a minor concussion and a few heavy bruises to my face and my stomach. Surprisingly enough, I didn't feel any pain. I probably must be drugged up.

They were asking me if I remembered anything else. I shook my head at them. I didn't want to tell of them about those peculiar eyes that I saw. They'd probably think that something was definitely wrong with my head.

To say that I liked Tsunade was quite an understatement. She was amusing and she had an attitude that screamed "I will not put up with your BS" but at the same time she showed concern toward me that spoke of a kind hard. And so far she answered all of my questions.

But now it's time for more important questions. Questions like what were they talking about when I was still blindfolded. Before I could get a word out, the door to my room opened and a nurse came in and informed Tsunade that she was needed at the operating room.

Tsunade rolled her eyes before smirking at me. "I hear you don't have a place to stay, Sakura."

I nodded.

"You can stay with me, if you like. I don't have a mansion but I'm sure my place is better than this loser over here."

Jiraiya protested weakly at being called a loser.

My eyes widened. I just met her and she was offering her home to a complete stranger? It was too good to be true, if you ask me.

"I'd really appreciate that, Tsunade-sama!" I tried my best to bow, given my current position.

She snorted, probably because of the honorific I used. "Good. You can move in today. Don't leave the hospital just yet and stay until I'm done with work. I'll bring you over." She turned and left but not before smacking Jiraiya at the back of his head when he ogled her cleavage.

When the door had shut Jiraiya turned back to me.

"So…Jiraiya is your name, eh?" I teased, smiling a winning smile.

Jiraiya pouted. "You weren't supposed to find out, Sakura-chan. It was going to be my lifelong secret that I'd keep from you."

I shrugged. I was going to find out sooner or later whether he liked it or not. "Speaking of secrets," I paused. "I happened to overhear you and Tsunade-sama talking a while ago."

He scratched the back of his head and looked at the ceiling, feigning innocence. He suddenly became quiet.

Oh no, he wasn't going to make this a secret too. This time I have to know especially since it has to do with me. I have a right to know!

"Something about chakra and seals…?" I hinted.

Jiraiya clicked his tongue and his frown deepened but he wouldn't look at me. He crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Aw, c'mon! I've known you for years! You can't hide something from me when it's obviously _about_me."

"Now's not the time, Sakura-chan," he said solemnly. "I promise you will know but now is not a good time. All I can say, though, is that you should be more careful about where you go now. I don't know who reportedly assaulted you but you should exercise more caution."

It was my turn to pout. I'm eighteen years old and I've been out on the streets since I was ten years old. I'm pretty sure I know how to take care of myself. I mean, I haven't died yet, now have I?

As if reading my thoughts Jiraiya looked at me patiently and sighed. He uncrossed his arms and went over to the side of my bed to ruffle my uniquely colored hair.

"I know you've been out on your own but I'm going to need you to trust me on this. Now that you've been attacked and reports have been filed to find the men that accosted you, I have a feeling that things are going to start to get a bit dangerous."

His words confused me. What was going to change just because of what happened to me last night? I really wanted to know but judging from the look on Jiraiya's face, it'd be a long time before I'd ever find out from him. I let out a short, defeated sigh. If he wanted to stay stubborn, that was his problem. I'm going to find out what's going on one way or another.

"Fine," I muttered.

He grinned at me and laughed his hearty laugh before making his way to my door. "I think I've overstayed my visit, Sakura-chan. I'm going to head on out before the personnel decide to kick me out."

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "They can kick you out?"

"Well, they can kick _me_ out specifically. That's because Tsunade owns this hospital and she doesn't want me to 'bother the patients'."

"Is she right?"

He rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Pfft, she doesn't know what she's talking about. I am the best thing that ever graced this hospital." He had his hand on the door handle and was about to turn the handle when he looked at me mischievously. "So I've decided to let my friend keep you company until Tsunade finishes her shift."

"A friend? You have other friends aside from me?"

Jiraiya feigned an offended look. "Is there a problem with that?"

I inwardly smirked at him. "Yeah, I can't believe I'm friends with someone like you."

He grinned. "Well, you know what they say about birds with the same feather."

"They die together?" I ventured with a giggle.

He sent me a flat look. "_Anyways_, as I was saying, this friend of mine is actually my godson. Treat him nicely Sakura-chan. I'm sure you'll enjoy his company, though." With that said, Jiraiya opened the door and peeked his head outside before reaching out and pulling someone inside the room with a grunt.

A startling myriad of orange, black, and yellow crossed my vision as the person crumpled to the floor disgracefully. He stood up quickly and growled at Jiraiya in a loud voice.

"Pervy-sensei what's your problem? Didja hafta throw me to the ground like that?"

Jiraiya just smiled and pointed a finger in my direction. When the blonde turned around I was surprised to see shocking sky blue eyes curiously looking at me.

I offered a shy wave. "Hi."

My visitor's lower jaw dropped to the ground in the most unflattering manner I'd ever seen. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He slowly tore his gaze away from me and looked at Jiraiya.

"W-what is she doing here, Pervy-sensei?"

"She's being treated for any injuries, Naruto. Duh."

Seeming to ignore the jab, Naruto seemed to realize his state of surprise and quickly shut his mouth before clearing his throat. He shot me a weird look before turning back to Jiraiya and pulling him out of the room and into the hallway.

"He'll be back Sakura-chan. But for now, I'll see you soon! Byeee…" Jiraiya said with a small shake of his hand before the door slammed shut behind him.

Well, that was weird.

I sat up and finished the rest of the water in my glass and set the empty glass on my bedside table. On it was a small bouquet of flowers that I hadn't noticed until now. Just inside the wrapping was a card with an inscription on it. I gently picked up the bouquet and sniffed it's fresh scent before pulling out the card to read what it said.

"_Get well soon._"

The penmanship was neat and crisp and not styled beautifully in a special font. It was simple and straight to the point. I turned the card over in hopes of seeing any names or initials but there was none. Maybe Jiraiya brought this for me. I smiled. He surely was a nice old man.

I stuffed the card back into the bouquet and put the flowers back on my bedside table before lying back down on my bed. My eyes focused on the ceiling and I allowed my thoughts to wander.

It was weird having someone care for me. I've been alone for so long that I don't remember anything else except for the streets of Konoha. I have no recollection of my parents. To make things more puzzling, I don't remember anything in my life that happened to me before the age of 10. Yup, it's true. I just woke up one day next to a burned down building smothered in a pile of soot, a few moderate burns on me and I didn't remember a single thing. I was looking around but nothing seemed familiar to me.

That was the first day I also met Jiraiya. As soon as I woke up he had walked by and approached me, seeing that I was obviously not well. He kept asking me questions about what happened to my parents. When I told him that I didn't remember a thing, not even my name, his eyes grew wide and it looked like he was about to cry. From there he took me to the hospital and I stayed there for several days due to my injuries. I didn't think it was weird that no one was there to visit me in the hospital but I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen to me.

One day a lady entered my room and said that her name was Anko and that she was a social worker. She was there to tell me that she was either going to put me in the orphanage or a foster home. After listening to her explanation, I decided I wanted to try living with a family to see if that would remind me of anything.

I was put into the Yakushi family. At first glance, they were a nice family. They had one child, a son, named Kabuto, who was five years older than I was. The first few days were nice since his parents were nice to me but something about Kabuto was off. He avoided any type of communication with me at first and only watched me with narrowed eyes behind his evil spectacles. But not long afterwards he started to bully me. He would trip me when I was playing outside, he'd laugh at the color of my hair, he'd once put a dead rat in my steamed bun, and most time he'd secretly hit me. But what irked me the most about him was his affinity to sharp objects like knives and needles. Every now and then he would try to draw blood out of me. If I hadn't put up a fight I was sure that he would've aspirated all the blood out of me. It was when he started to use restraints on my wrists and ankles when his parents were not home that I decided that I'd had enough. I just had to get away.

So one night I snuck out in the middle of the night. I was as silent as could be and I was sure no one heard me since I had tons of practice trying to get away from Kabuto. As soon as I was outside of the house I ran down a couple of blocks and I bumped into someone familiar. It was Jiraiya.

He looked worried, wondering what I was doing out so late at night. When I told him what had happened to me, he quickly took me away from the vicinity and brought me to another part of Konoha. Although he didn't get me a place to sleep, he found an alleyway that he knew was safe. I had slept propped up against the wall of a building that night with Jiraiya's large coat shielding me from the cool night. I only lasted a month in the Yakushi household but I'd much rather be out on my own than live with a boy who found pleasure in torturing me.

That night was the night when I became homeless. Jiraiya was always around, giving me food and sometimes clothes, but he never took me to his house, despite my constant hints. During the day I'd see him at least twice and at night I wouldn't see him but if I decided to sleep in another area I would coincidentally find him lingering nearby. Definitely seems like a stalker, right? He could pass as one. But it seemed more like he was keeping an eye on me rather than constantly monitoring my every move.

A large part of me is hidden in the memories of those ten years of my life. I longed to know my past and why I was obviously being guarded by Jiraiya. His conversation with Tsunade and myself confirmed that he knew the answers to my questions but that stubborn man wouldn't tell me a darn thing.

My eyelids began to feel heavy and I felt the fingers of sleep pulling at me. I succumbed to it's tender embrace.

**OoooOooOooOoo**

My mouth was hanging open and I knew it but I couldn't help it. Tsunade's apartment was a complete mess! Bottles were lingering here and there, some half empty. I stood at the doorway to her apartment and I tried to devise a route into her living space without having to knock over at least five bottles. She seemed to be used to her liquor store of a home. Naruto and I, ironically, felt burdened for some reason.

"Ah, are you sure I can stay with you, Tsunade-sama?" I asked nervously as I hoisted up my bag on my shoulder. When I left my room I found it sitting on the floor by my bed.

Naruto elbowed me in the side. "I told you not to call her 'Tsunade-sama'. Just call her Grandma!" He whispered none too softly.

Tsunade glared at him but gracefully made her way into her apartment, miraculously avoiding the bottles. I briefly wondered how she managed to do that as she went into another room.

"Naruto! Pick up the bottles so that Sakura can move," she ordered.

I looked at Naruto when he didn't say anything but the look on his face had me hiding a giggle. He started to sputter and whine before he too stepped into her apartment and also made his way without knocking anything over.

Okay, there had to be something wrong with me. Either this glass maze just appeared harder than it seemed or they were experts at the art of maneuvering their way through it. I bit my lip in concentration. I definitely had to see if I could do it too. Upon closer inspection I noticed that there was a space big enough for a foot to fit and it led to a narrow path through the glass bottles. I tentatively put my foot in the space and felt a surge of courage self-pride at my small achievement. However when I brought my other foot forward to take another step, I grazed against one of the bottles and it toppled over onto another bottle, which landed on another bottle, which caused a domino effect. The next thing I knew I heard and saw an innumerable amount of bottles crashing to the floor, creating an epic shattering noise as they broke into pieces.

I felt the blood drain from my face. How could I do this on my first day of staying at someone's house? What was wrong with me?

"Sakura? Are you okay? Naruto I told you to pick those up and now look what's happened!" Tsunade scolded. "Now you have to go and sweep all that up."

"But…but…but _why_?" Naruto wailed.

Tsunade didn't respond but I could tell she had done something because Naruto was again near me with a scowl on his face. I felt bad for him at that moment. He was picking up the mess that I caused.

"S-sorry Naruto-kun," I mumbled.

"It's alright Sakura-chan! Don't worry about me."

"Yeah, don't worry about this brat. He owes me a favor anyways," Tsunade said at the doorway to the room she was at. She looked at me and motioned for me to follow her inside before she disappeared into the room.

I cast Naruto an apologetic look before inching my way into the room Tsunade was in, trying to avoid the glass particles. Once inside I was relieved to see that the room didn't have a single sign of alcohol inside. It had a bed with what looked like clean sheets positioned so that the foot of the bed was right next to the window. Beyond the foot of the bed was a desk with a few books. To the side of the bed was a meager dresser and in the center of the room was a low round table that had cushions underneath it used for sitting. On the ceiling was a fan.

Tsunade was sitting on one of the cushions, watching me inspect the room.

"So what do you think about your room?" she asked.

"It looks great! I don't remember ever having a room to myself so this is a really nice change. I like it very much. Thank you Tsunade-sama," I ended with a grateful bow.

"Oh please don't call me that. You can just call me shisou."

I looked at her weirdly. "But I'm not your student or anything."

"Well if you want to work in the hospital you're going to have to learn from someone, right? I'm going to be your teacher in medicine."

My jaw dropped for the second time that day. First she invites me to stay in her home and now she was offering to teach me _and_ hire me? Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

"Don't be so surprised, Sakura. I think you're a great girl but I'm not about to let someone freeload in my place. It's either you get your but to work or it goes back out in the streets," Tsunade said with a smirk on her face, as if she was issuing a challenge.

I stuck out my chin stubbornly, not willing to back down. I'd show her that just how hard working I was.

"It never crossed my mind that I'd be freeloading, Tsunade-_shishou_."

Her smirk deepened. "I'm a tough teacher. Don't cry if you get butt hurt or something."

I grinned. "Won't even dream about it."

"Good," she nodded. "Now the first activity I'll have you do today is to clean my house."

_What._

"Don't give me that look Sakura. You better get moving," Tsunade said airily and stretched her arms.

I bit the inside of my cheek to avoid making a comment on her laziness. Instead, I set my bag down by the door and stepped out of the room to help Naruto clean up the bottles. I could hear her laughter as I closed the door.

"Hey Sakura-chan," Naruto said from his crouching position on the floor. In his hand he held a dustpan filled to the top with glass shards. "Here to help?"

I smiled. "You bet. Is there a broom around here?"

It took less than twenty minutes for us to clean the broken pieces on the ground. We tossed them into a black bag that we'd put outside in the dumpster. But before we could do that, we decided to rid the house of any other bottles so that we'd only have to make one trip down to the dumpster. In about ten minutes we had rounded up all the empty bottles and put them in a separate black bag. I looked around and I felt like a weight had lifted off my chest. I could actually see the floor now!

Naruto chuckled and we shared a mutual look of relief. But then something in his gaze changed. He looked at me sadly before we grabbed the bags and headed outside.

Too many strange things are happening to me today. I decided to ignore his downcast look for now.

The apartment complex that Tsunade stayed in was definitely situated in a good neighborhood. It was clean and well-kept, with little to no litter on the ground. It was a far cry from where I was used to hanging out. Across the street there was a small café, next to it was a ramen shop, and on the other side of the café was farmer selling his fresh produce. The shop owners looked kindly at me and Naruto and I instantly knew I was extremely lucky to have been taken in by Tsunade.

"How long have you known Tsunade-shishou?" I asked Naruto. I didn't realize how heavy the bag of glass shards was until I tried to carry it downstairs.

Naruto spotted my distress and offered to carry it for me. After a bit of resistance, I complied and handed him the bag. He beamed at me before continuing on his way to the dumpster.

"My whole life."

"That explains why you call her grandma. How old are you by the way?"

"I'm eighteen, like you."

I shot him a wary look. How did he know I was eighteen? I never gave him any information about myself even when I woke up in the hospital and found him sitting next to my bed enjoying a steaming bowl of instant ramen. We hadn't talked much but instantly felt comfortable in his presence. He was such a happy person.

"How'd you know I was eighteen?"

"I have a better question for you," he grunted as we arrived at the dumpster. I opened the lid for him as he threw both bags inside. He brushed his hands before placing them on his hips.

He had my attention now. "Okay. What's your question?"

There was a pause as he stared at me, as if he was weighing the consequences of what was going to happen next.

"What happened to you eight years ago?"

My eyes widened and I stared at him, dumbfounded. There are no words to describe how much his question disturbed me. He was asking the very same question I've been asking myself for the past eight years.

"You don't know anything?" He continued.

I shook my head. "D-do you know what happened to me?"

He frowned. "No. That's why I'm asking you. That perverted teacher of mine won't tell me anything."

"You mean Jiraiya? He won't tell me anything either! You won't believe how frustrating it is for me."

"You don't remember anything from before either, do you Sakura-chan?"

"No, I don't Naruto," I said slowly and watched his downcast expression grew more depressed. "Is there something I should know?"

"We," he paused again. "We were best friends. And then you suddenly disappeared after the fire. I thought you had died."

I choked on I don't know what. Naruto was my best friend? That would explain the weird looks he's been giving me. He knew who I was but I had no clue as to who he was when in fact we were best friends. My desire to learn more about my past burned brighter with a vengeance.

"Oh Naruto… I don't know what to say…"

"And what do we have here? A confession?" A new voice interrupted from behind me and a cold shiver ran down my spine.

Naruto looked up and his sad countenance immediately changed into one of anger.

I, however, turned around slowly. I was afraid of who I might see. When I had finally turned enough to see who it was, my throat went dry and my blood froze.

* * *

**A/N:** Cliffhanger! Perhaps you can guess who mysterious intruder was. I bet you can. If you can't, then that's okay. That just means I'm doing what I've set out to do.

Anyways, I must say I like where this story is going. If you haven't already noticed, I changed my tenses (you know, past tense, future tense…). I realized that the words just flow out more easily when I write like this. Hopefully you guys think so too.

Please review and let me know what you think!

-Chynee


	3. Reacquainted

**Chapter Three: Reacquainted**

"_And what do we have here? A confession?" A new voice interrupted from behind me and a cold shiver ran down my spine._

_Naruto looked up and his sad countenance immediately changed into one of anger. _

_I, however, turned around slowly. I was afraid of who I might see. When I had finally turned enough to see who it was, my throat went dry and my blood froze._

And I almost laughed.

Green. All I saw was green. Of course there was the orange leg warmers and red belt that broke color code of the monstrous forest green spandex onesie. His expressive eyes were large and the chronic furrowing of his thick eyebrows gave him an intense look. His straight bowl haircut only helped to make him look like a person who was a neat freak that had control issues. A neat freak with control issues that favored green, form fitting, second-skin-like spandex.

I covered my mouth as I attempted to hold back my laughter. I couldn't help but cringe, though, when he spoke again. It was the kind of voice that would make my temple vein pop out if I heard it in excess. Like Naruto's.

"Naruto! I have finally found you! And as you promised, you and I, Rock Lee, will now fight in the ultimate test of our youth!"

Before I could snicker, I looked back at Naruto and found that I had to double my efforts in attempt not to guffaw at Naruto's sour face.

My amusement, however, did a complete 360 when said green-spandex man directed his attention to me.

"And who is this person you are talking to? Perhaps another youthful comrade?"

I refused to look up at Naruto, who I was sure was grinning. I had to get out of the picture.

"Excuse me," I muttered and tried to move away to the staircase. But a hand wrapped around my waist and spun me around so quickly that my head felt dizzy. I blinked my eyes quickly to rid myself of the nauseating feeling. And then,

"Sakura?"

I stiffened when the stranger mentioned me name. I didn't like the way he said it, like he knew me.

"Naruto! Is this who I think it is?"

"The one and only," Naruto replied. He was grinning. It's evident in his voice.

_Thanks for ratting me out, Naruto._

"No problem," he said.

I blinked. Did I just say that out loud?

My confusion was interrupted when a rib-crushing hug knocked the breath out of my lungs. I was lifted off the ground by a strong force.

"The years haven't done anything to your youthful beauty Sakura-chan! In fact, I think you've become more beautiful!"

"Thank you?" I gasped. This Lee guy was going to seriously suffocate me if he didn't put me down. "Put me down…"

"We could hang out just like old times! Remember when we played hide-and-seek and I'd always find you but you were always up in a really high tree and I'd have to go up using my super speed even though I don't have any cha– "

Lee's rambling was cut off when Naruto smacked a hand on his mouth to silence him. Naruto then grabbed the front of Lee's spandex suit and lifted him up, effectively lifting me higher off the ground.

I could feel my head swimming.

"Listen you taijutsu monster, you better stay away from Sakura-chan. I don't want her to hang out with the likes of you!"

"Put me down." I could barely manage a squeak. My blood was rushing to my face and I could feel myself dropping off into unconsciousness yet again.

The next thing I knew I was waking up to Tsunade's stern brown eyes. When she backed away from my face I could see that I was lying on my bed. Beams of light streamed past my curtained window, giving my room a peaceful atmosphere. When I focused my attention back to her, she wasn't looking at me. I saw her put her hands on her hips and turn her attention to the side. I turned my head and saw Naruto and Lee sitting obediently on the floor with their hands face down on their laps. Their faces looked contrite, as though expecting a punishment.

"Sakura _just_ _got out_ of the hospital. What on earth possessed you to squeeze the air out of her and make her faint?"

"It's Lee's fault, Grandma," Naruto squeaked.

"Hey – " Lee started.

"I don't care whose fault it is! You both had a hand in this."

"But – "

"No Naruto. You knew that Sakura isn't up to her full health yet and you still didn't stop Lee from putting her down."

Naruto's crestfallen face made me give a reluctant sigh.

"You are both not allowed to see her until I say so," She continued.

I panicked a little. How long would that be? Was Tsunade going to keep me inside all day, every day? I know I don't have many friends, but now that I've kind of reunited with my friends, I don't want to let them go. I opened my mouth to protest but Tsunade was talking again.

"Okay, maybe that's a little harsh. You both may visit her." Everyone but Tsunade visibly relaxed. "But you can only visit one at a time. You two are not allowed to be in the same room when Sakura is there."

I rolled my eyes. Tsunade was acting a bit overprotective, but I didn't know her very well so I couldn't really object at the moment. She was probably only like this because I was still recovering.

"Is that understood?"

"Yes," Naruto and Lee chorused at the same time.

"Good. Now get out of my house and let Sakura sleep," Tsunade instructed and began to shoo them away.

Naruto was halfway out my bedroom door when he waved at me.

"I'll see you around, Sakura-chan! Get well soon!"

Tsunade watched as the two males made their way out of the apartment before casually walking back into my room. She wore a weary smile.

"Those two are such a handful. For some reason they're always fighting."

I couldn't help but giggle. It definitely did seem that way.

"Anyways, I was telling the truth when I said that you should sleep, Sakura. You received multiple blows to the head that it's a miracle that you didn't get a hemorrhage. That's a good thing but I don't want to take chances. Having a head injury is serious and I don't want you to suddenly start fainting just because those two idiots cut off all oxygen to your brain. You'll be just as bad as that Hyuuga girl, except you'll be losing brain cells. And you're going to need those brain cells for the things you'll be going through soon."

Her words about being my teacher in medicine crossed my mind and I nodded in understanding.

"When will we begin?" I asked.

"Not until I'm positive that there aren't going to be any complications resulting from your assault and from what happened today. Maybe in a week or two we can begin lessons. Oh, can you read?"

I nodded again. I may not remember people or events that happened to me in the past but I do know how to read and speak, which struck me as a little odd. Sometimes Jiraiya would lend me educational books about wildlife or geography. He was surprisingly good with words and if I ever had a question about a word I couldn't pronounce, he would always lend me a hand the next time I would see him.

"Very good. Well then, I'll leave you so that you can sleep. If you need anything, I'm just around in the apartment. I don't have to go to the hospital tonight."

"Okay. Thank you shishou."

Tsunade stood up and left.

And I was alone again. I sighed and bounced my head on my pillow before pulling the bedcovers over me. It may have still been daylight outside but I really could use a moment's shuteye. Staying in the hospital, moving into a new home, reuniting with two past friends (as well as finding out that one of them was my best friend), and fainting all in one day was quite taxing.

I closed my eyes and let sleep claim me.

**OooOooOooOoo**

When I woke up again my room was dark. I slowly sat up in my bed and rubbed my eyes as they adjusted to the night. I stole a peek out my window and saw a streetlight not far away, illuminating the sidewalk. The street looked empty and I bet there weren't a lot of people out. Judging by how dark it was outside, I'd say it was probably midnight. The moon would be up and also casting it's gentle rays. Sadly I couldn't see it due to the roof of the building next door.

I wanted to go back to sleep but I couldn't. I was wide awake. So I got up from my bed and stumbled around a bit, quietly cursing when my smallest toe hit a leg of the table in my room. Narrowing my eyes at the table, I saw that there was stuff on it. I cautiously touched it and noted that it was fabric. Clothes, perhaps? After a couple more minutes of feeling around, I found the light switch and flicked it on. The light momentarily caused me to shut my eyes in response to it's brightness, but after a moment I opened them and looked at the table again.

It was indeed clothes and they didn't look like the clothes that I had gotten from Jiraiya when I lived on the streets. No, these clothes looked new. I excitedly walked to the table and perused through my new wardrobe. There were shirts, black biker shorts, tank tops, pajamas, sweaters, and other items. I blushed when I saw a number of bras and underwear scattered on the center of the table. I didn't think Tsunade would buy my undergarments. And although it was a little embarrassing, it was still a gesture that I appreciated coming from her.

But what really caught my eye was the red fabric that I happened to spot on my dresser. I curiously walked over and touched it's fabric. It was silk. I unfolded the fabric reverently and gasped when I saw that it was a kimono. It wasn't completely red though. It was blood red at the top but as my eyes drew south the blood red color darkened into a deep maroon at the bottom. Scattered across the cloth were flower petals that looked like they were being blown in the wind. They weren't cherry blossom petals though. I looked back at the top of my dresser and saw the rest of the garments that accompanied the beautiful kimono I held in my hands.

_Tsunade-shishou has a lot of money if she can afford a kimono like this._

My excitement eventually wore down so I proceeded to put away my clothes into their appropriate places in my dresser. As for the kimono I'd have to ask Shishou what I should do with it since I didn't have a closet to hang it in. I left it on top of my dresser and went to sit on my bed, still awake but now with nothing to do. I heard a slight wind blow outside my window and a thought popped up into my head. I quickly, and quietly changed into biker shorts and a black tank top, stepped out of my room and headed to the front door. I could hear Tsunade snoring in another part of the apartment but I didn't bother to check on her. When I reached the front door I saw that there was a pair of sandals near the boots that I used to wear. Giddily, I slipped my feet into them, pleased to know that it fit me perfectly. I was amazed at how much Tsunade knew about me even though we had just met today.

I crept to the front door and very slowly turned the lock, hoping that it wouldn't click once it was unlocked. To my dismay, it made a loud _click_ and I paused, listening for the sounds of sleep from my benefactor. Thankfully it seemed like she hadn't woken up. I smiled to myself and turned the knob of the door and carefully swung it open. No loud creaks or noises sounded from the door and I slipped out of the apartment before I could change my mind.

Konoha at night wasn't that cold. It was only during winter when I would sleep in the shelter. During the other seasons, however, the evening temperature was nice enough to sleep outside. So when I stepped outside in my tank top and shorts I felt completely at ease in my tank top and shorts. As I reached the street I glanced both ways and underneath the street lights strategically placed in intervals. As expected, there wasn't a single soul out. If I'm unlucky enough, I'll happen upon another drunken loser. This time, however, I'll be extra careful.

I started down the street to my left. If the mental map of Konoha I had in my head was correct, there was a bridge nearby. Tsunade apartment wasn't completely on the outskirts of the city, but it was far enough from my usual haunts. If I were to continue walking straight down the road I'd reach the city walls in about two hours. The bridge was probably ten minutes away.

As I continued my journey I sucked in the night air through my nostrils and exhaled through my mouth. The last time I was out this late was a little over two days ago but it surely felt like forever. The night didn't scare me and neither did the creatures that crept around in the shadows. I was basically one anyways. The upside two my life outside was that I knew Konoha's streets just a little more than I should. I knew where to go and what places to avoid. This proved to be a valuable asset since I needed it to find my way around without running into Kabuto and his needles.

The bridge came into view and I quickened my pace. It was one of those nicely arched wooden bridges. On both ends of the bridge were trees that had just sprouted leaves. Later on in the season there would hopefully be cherry blossoms. Below the bridge was a wide river that flowed peacefully. I stood at the railing and listened to the sound of it flowing and closed my eyes, tilting my head back. I opened my eyes and view the moon that was hanging directly in front of me in the sky. It's gentle light made me smile and I closed my eyes once more.

The soft thump of footsteps against wood shattered my peaceful world and I instantly began to monitor the individual also on the bridge. They were pretty good at keeping quiet and I had to admit that I almost thought that what I heard was just a figment of my imagination. But then I heard the footsteps again. This time they were much closer. I opened my eyes and tilted my head to the right to see who else had joined me on the bridge.

Cool obsidian eyes met my vision and I stood my ground, not willing to turn away. The light from the moon casted shadows on the left side of his face but revealed to me that he had a straight nose. His hair, although as dark as the night, reflected the moon's light from his spiky hairstyle. The bangs framing the sides of his face made him look delicate but for some reason this handsome creature seemed to be anything but delicate. His hands were in the pockets of his dark jeans and the dark shirt he wore contrasted with his pale skin. He had a powerful, magnetic presence and I couldn't help but dump all of my attention on him.

He was looking at me, approaching me slowly until he stood just two feet away. I turned to face him. I wanted to offer a smile but I felt like my facial muscles had frozen. I wanted to back away but I felt glued to my spot. I wanted to say something but my mouth was sewn shut. What had this guy done to me?

After a few minutes of drinking in each other's appearance, he spoke first.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

I wanted to melt at the sound of his baritone voice but I didn't, thank goodness. His question, though, did snap me out of my temporary muteness.

"Why?" I croaked. I wanted to smack myself. Why does my voice croak whenever I'm in an awkward spot?

He blinked but the air he upheld still didn't change. He still didn't seem to register any particular emotion.

When the beautiful stranger didn't say anything further, I realized that he still expected me to actually answer his question. I wanted to huff at his slightly presumptuous behavior but I refrained from doing so.

"I couldn't sleep," I answered honestly. When you're used to staying up at night and getting only a few hours of rest it becomes a habit. And habits die hard, right?

There was tension in the air between us even though there was a nice gentle breeze going about. Like a fish out of water and searching for hydration, I was scrambling for words to fill the less than lively conversation we were having.

"What about you?" I managed.

"Same," he answered after a pause.

"Oh."

His gaze on me was heavy and it felt like he'd eventually bore holes into my eyes if I didn't turn away. So I tried really, really hard to look back at what had previously held my silent praise, the moon and it's ethereal beauty. When I finally looked away I felt like the hold he had on me had dissipated and my mouth could work again.

"It's really nice out tonight."

For a moment I thought he had left but a peripheral glance told me that he had stood and faced the railing as well, his attention on the moon. I smiled inwardly.

"Hn," was his only reply. I didn't know whether or not I should feel annoyed at his lack of zeal for conversation but I didn't want to immediately judge this guy. Something told me there was more to the eye when it came to him.

So for the next few minutes we stood and basked in the moonlight, with the river flowing below and the night breeze brushing by. I had gotten tired of standing after five minutes so I lifted myself until I sat on the railing. He didn't join me but he drew closer, probably to make sure I wouldn't fall. No words were said but in his presence I felt like none were needed. I had gotten accustomed to his quiet demeanor and, surprisingly enough, I found it to be relaxing.

When I felt like I had stayed outside too long I climbed down from the railing and faced my taciturn companion, who had also turned to face me. His gaze, this time, didn't seem to paralyze me and I was grateful enough to flash him a smile.

"Well, it was nice hanging out with you, um…"

"Sasuke," he whispered. It was so low that I almost didn't catch it. But I did and my heart beat faster now that I knew his name.

"Sasuke-kun, right. My name is Sakura," I offered in return. "It was nice meeting you."

He nodded.

I had nothing more to say so I bid him goodnight before turning around.

"Don't come here alone next time," he suddenly said.

Turning slightly to give him a backwards glance, I looked at him curiously. I turned around to face him again.

"Oh, it's alright. I'm used to going out late at night," I answered casually. It isn't a big deal, really.

He then shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, but his eyes had a hard look to it.

"Just warning you," he muttered and turned around to walk in the direction he came.

I pursed my lips and looked to the ground, not knowing what to make of Sasuke. His statement just made him all the more mysterious and I felt the urge to follow him and pepper him with questions. When I looked back up to see him go, however, he was already gone.

**OooOooOooOoo**

The night that I met Sasuke was still fresh in my mind a week later. I never saw him again. The reason being I never went out again after that night, but not because I didn't want to.

When I got home that night Tsunade was waiting for me. The second the door shut behind me she was spewing worries and chastisements all over the place that I was surprised she hadn't gone blue from talking too much and not stopping for air. After that night she made sure that I didn't take any naps during the day. One way of doing this was by having Naruto or Lee stop by during the afternoon. She even let me go out with them into the city to have lunch.

Today was such a day. And today it was going to be Lee's turn to take me to lunch. Lee said he wanted to take me to a popular café in the inner part of the city. He said it was where I used to go whenever Naruto wouldn't drag everyone to Ichiraku Ramen, his favorite restaurant. I wasn't too keen about being in the bustling part of Konoha but since it was a part of my past I agreed to go with Lee.

Whenever I'm out with Naruto or Lee I noticed that they would always talk about who I was back when we were close friends. It was refreshing but it was like I was learning about a whole new person. The Sakura they knew was a stranger to me. The Sakura they knew sounded like a bubbly little girl who had dreams about becoming a great doctor. The Sakura they knew was friends with everyone in school, even the mean girl Ino.

The Sakura they knew had a family. She had a stern but caring mother and a doting father who loved to laugh. According to Naruto and Lee my parents weren't around often since they were busy with work but they did describe what my parents looked like. From their descriptions I had my father's hair color but my face was that of my mother's. I couldn't imagine them and I didn't want to try. I didn't feel anything for the parents I don't remember seeing, but I was told that I loved my parents very much.

The walk to the café didn't take very long because Lee had dragged me along as he speed walked to our destination. When we arrived I saw that it was a cute, happy kind of café with a moderate amount of people sitting at tables outside. Two large glass windows were in the front of the shop. Behind one of the glass windows were the products that the café sold. Things like cake, cupcakes, a selection of pastries, cookies and other baked goods. The other window had customers sitting in booths enjoying their purchases. I was instructed to find a seat outside while Lee went inside to buy something.

When he came back we began to consume our green tea, dango, and a slice of cake. I had to admit the food was tasty and I wouldn't mind coming back for more. I was listening to his him as he told the story of how him and his beloved (and very likely eccentric) teacher, Gai-sensei, went on a trip to Wind Country to join a taijutsu tournament in Suna. On their way to Suna they were ambushed by a group of bandits and then,

"Gai-sensei and I fended them off with the power of our youth flowing through our legs and fists! We were perfectly and in sync! Our punches and kicks landed with such power that I felt rejuvenated after we beat those bandits to a pulp!" He bellowed.

I scratched the back of my head at his overenthusiasm. He was already standing, his seat knocked over, with the other customers shooting us glances ranging from shock to annoyance at his loud voice. I bowed my head in apology to some of the nearby customers. I then turned back to him and forced a smile onto my face.

"Lee, how about we finish our tea and dango before we finish your story. I think the tea is getting cold," I said. Hopefully this little distraction would be enough. I was planning on whisking him away to a quieter part of town so that he could talk all he wanted.

Then his face looked like it hatched an idea, lighting up in excitement.

"Sakura-chan! I have an idea where we can go today!"

It didn't look like he was going to calm down any time soon so I stuffed the last piece of cake into my mouth, downed the rest of my tea, and picked up my dango before dragging Lee away from the café. When I finished chewing I turned to him and saw that he was still excited about his plan.

"So where to?" I asked.

"The training grounds!" He said gleefully as his eyes danced in anticipation.

**OooOooOooOoo**

The training ground Lee had brought me to was a small clearing in a secluded area of Konoha Park. I had never been in this part of the park since I was only here whenever I had to pass through or to sleep. But according to Lee, the training grounds were all located in Konoha part, just in a deeper, restricted area to prevent injuries to bystanders. The sign in front of the training ground read 'Training Ground One'. I stood to the side near a tree and watched Lee as he performed his basic moves.

To say that I was surprised at Lee's skill is an understatement. I was sure a fly had flown into my mouth and flew back out when my jaw dropped as I watched Lee execute his more advanced moves. His moves were practically bordering on inhuman and I had to wonder what his training was like, what _Gai-sensei_ was like. Watching Lee made me gave me an idea.

"Hey, I have a favor to ask," I began when he took a break and sat down next to me.

"Anything for you, Sakura-chan!" He cheeped.

I stifled a grimace and smiled at him.

"Could you teach me a few simple defense moves?"

Lee's large eyes widened and his thick brows rose in surprise. He obviously wasn't expecting a request like mine. But he quickly recovered and stood up, one hand on his hip, and the other hand forming a fist with a thumb sticking out in a show of approval.

"You've come to the right person, Sakura-chan! I'll teach you everything you need to know!"

My grin grew and I stood up with and walked to the center of the clearing with a jump in my step. I was excited.

**OooOooOooOoo**

"Give me a break!" I cried. My knees were quivering and the muscles in my arms were nagging at me to have a moment's reprieve from Lee's monstrous lesson in defense. I crumbled to the ground and lay flat on my face, my arms and legs positioned carelessly about.

The sun had almost set and the temperature was starting to cool down from the heat of the day. I don't know how many hours we were at it but I was downright exhausted while my friend/temporary teacher/companion didn't look like he had broken a single sweat. I was annoyed.

Lee had the gall to chuckle at my prone form on the ground. I then felt my body being lifted into the air as Lee hefted me onto his back.

I was going to piggyback him? That's fine as long as I don't move any one of my extremities. I'm pretty sure my face looked like it went through hell and back. I bet my hair looked like a bird's nest. It probably had a few twigs and leaves in there too. I apathetically closed my eyes.

Lee was quiet as we walked out of the secluded area of the park. When we reached the entrance to the park was when he had stopped and began to talk to someone.

"Who's that you're carrying Lee?" A girl asked.

"Oh, it's Sakura-chan. You remember her?"

There was a gasp and a slight shuffling of feet before I opened my eyes and blearily stared at a girl with two hair buns on her head. She wore a white button up long sleeve with the buttons off to the side rather than down the center of her top. Her maroon pants stopped just below her knees where there was a garter that prevented it from falling further. Her hands were in fingerless gloves. Her light brown eyes were looking at me with a mixture of shock and concern written on her face.

Next to her was a person with long brown hair and a headband strapped across his forehead. Their light colored eyes had me wondering if they had an eye disease. By looking at the face I couldn't tell if they were a girl or boy because he had the kind of face that would make you think twice of their gender. He (I eventually deduced him to be a male) also wore a white long sleeved top with the sleeves loose like those of a kimono. He wore loose white pants.

The girl flashed me a bright smile before leaning in to give me a small hug despite our slightly awkward position.

"Oh Sakura it's good to see you again! Where have you been?" She asked.

"Um," I said unsurely and glanced between the two new people. The other one with light eyes was glaring at me.

Lee came to my rescue.

"That's Tenten, Sakura-chan. And the person next to her is Neji. They're my – er – good friends," he said simply.

Tenten's eyes widened a bit and she looked at me with confusion clouding her pretty face.

"You don't remember me Sakura?"

I shook my head. "Sorry Tenten. I'm just recently finding out I had friends."

This just made her all the more confused. I then told her that I had lost my memory. This helped a bit and she relaxed a little.

"I really wish I could remember though," I said honestly. Tenten didn't seem like a bad person and I having her as a friend was probably real fun. She didn't seem like the type that would cower in fear of Neji, whose glare had intensified.

When he didn't say anything to me I decided to make the first move.

"Hello Neji-san."

He scowled at my greeting.

"You," he hissed. "Should go back to the alley you crawled out of."

**OooOooOooOoo**

**A/N:** Oh snap! Hostile Neji right off the bat!

Bet you weren't expecting it to be Lee in the beginning of the chapter, eh? I wasn't expecting it either! It was originally going to be Kabuto, but I have other plans for him. I just recently found a book that helped me figure out the structure of my story and now I have an idea of where I want this crazy ride to go. This chapter is hot off the press since I had to rewrite the one that I had prepared last week. So if you see any mistakes, please point them out. I plan on going back and editing the chapters once I'm done.

Here's a shout out to **kelpiejh** for guessing correctly who I had originally planned to show up in the beginning of the chapter. Another one goes to **JohnnyLove** for your encouraging words. And for those of you who put this story on your alert list, thank you so much! I hope you're all enjoying my story so far.

You know the drill peeps. Please review!

Chynee


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